Environment

Want to know more about this important issue?

I am passionate about working with the community to protect our beautiful local parks and waterways so they can be enjoyed by everyone.

I recently announced the Higgins Sustainable Native Garden Project to enable local primary school students to learn about and plant native flora. Planting has already started at some schools. It is so important that we set an example for the next generation.

I also joined dozens of community members at Nettleton Park in Glen Iris to plant the first of more than 5,210 plants, as part of a $27,000 federal grant to revegetate Gardiners Creek.

This project follows work done by the Coalition Government’s Green Army to clean up Gardiners Creek and the Yarra River. A $1 million federal grant has also helped fund litter traps for the Yarra River, helping remove around 720 large wheelie bins of additional litter from the river each year.

Our Solar Communities program is also on track. The program is providing solar panels to community groups in suburbs like Ashburton, Carnegie, Malvern and Murrumbeena. These grants will help bring down energy costs and reduce emissions.

Taking practical action to protect Australia’s unique environment

The Turnbull Government‘s renewable energy policies will ensure 23.5 per cent of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020 – a doubling of large scale renewable projects.

At the Paris climate change conference, Australia committed to the reduction of emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2015 levels by 2030. This is a strong, ambitious and responsible target. It will see Australia’s emissions per person halve and the emissions intensity of our economy reduce by two-thirds. These are among the biggest reductions among major economies internationally.

While the Government is investing in renewable energy, renewable energy alone does not yet meet the demands of Australia’s energy market.

We are focused on maintaining baseload generation so that our households and businesses continue to enjoy a secure and reliable supply of energy.

Improving energy storage infrastructure is a critical priority for the Government.